Safaris With Younger Children
We know the best properties to cater to the needs of a young family. Many have multi-bedroom luxury accommodation with every comfort and convenience. Yet they are in genuinely remote and private locations. The food is excellent and special diets are catered for. A relaxed atmosphere and superb staff help to ensure that your children feel at home in camp. In between safaris, take a dip in the pool, play games or enjoy a walk around camp in search of mini beasts.
A safari is highly educational and great fun. Most of Africa has good weather from July through to Christmas and southern Africa also enjoys good weather during Easter. You can expect to see many different animals and the scenery is amazing — the Masai Mara, Rift Valley, Okavango Delta and Ngorongoro Crater are a few of Africa’s most spectacular safari regions. For a malaria free safari, South Africa is an excellent choice; you can easily combine it with Cape Town and the Garden Route. Take a look at the family safari ideas below, or better still, call us now.
As a father of two, I understand the challenges of arranging a holiday to suit everyone’s interests. Safaris are one of those unique holidays, where the right sequence of accommodation and activities can create the perfect balance for all ages. I love that being an independent travel specialist, here at Journeysmiths we have the flexibility to create truly tailor-made itineraries the whole family will enjoy.
Best Safari Destinations for Families with Kids
We have curated the best destinations for an unforgettable African family safari holiday. Step into the scenes of the Lion King on the rolling plains of Kenya, go in search of meerkats on a malaria-free safari in South Africa or witness the great migration up close in the Serengeti, and this is only the tip of the iceberg...We have curated the best destinations for an unforgettable African family safari holiday. Step into the scenes of the Lion King on the rolling plains of Kenya, go in search of meerkats on a malaria-free safari in South Africa or witness the great migration up close in the Serengeti, and this is only the tip of the iceberg...
Kenya has the ingredients for an amazing family safari. Your children will love seeing vast numbers of animals in iconic African settings. Stay in amazing and exclusive accommodation on private reserves. Enjoy adventures on foot, horseback and by open vehicle with Africa’s finest guides. Your children can see pioneering conservation work in action and meet remote tribal communities. Maybe end with a few days by the coast.
If you’re looking for a country that’s got everything, choose South Africa. Renowned for the spectacular views of the Garden Route, vibrant Cape Town, malaria free safaris, fascinating history and outstanding wildlife, the whole family will fall under the alluring spell of this diverse country.
The Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater are truly spectacular settings filled with great herds and big cats. We take you far from the crowds and minibuses with your own private guide, staying in exclusive accommodation. Families with older teenagers will love the wildly remote Selous, Ruaha and Mahale, where you can walk, canoe and even track chimpanzees. Round it off on exotic Zanzibar.
Botswana is Africa’s most exclusive safari destination. Each enormous private reserve has just one or two luxury lodges guaranteeing a series of private experiences as you travel from one exquisite location to the next. Expert guides will take your family on safari among big cats and vast elephant herds in beautiful deltas and deserts.
Best Safari Lodges for Young Children
Discover a few of our favourite family friendly safari camps and lodges. Each reflects our children’s need for engaging, age appropriate activities, plenty of space, flexible itineraries and meals. Having visited with our own families, we know the importance of safety, space, and flexibility. Everyone should be able to relax and enjoy themselves.Discover a few of our favourite family friendly safari camps and lodges. Each reflects our children’s need for engaging, age appropriate activities, plenty of space, flexible itineraries and meals. Having visited with our own families, we know the importance of safety, space, and flexibility. Everyone should be able to relax and enjoy themselves.
Mkombe’s House is the first and only private house in the Serengeti. This is one of the best choices for families who want a classic Tanzania safari in exclusivity with expertly personal and attentive service.
Lewa House in Kenya is more than simply a place to rest your head after your safaris. It’s the intangible warmth of being welcomed as family by owners Calum and Sophie McFarlane with the touches of home that make it a unique experience.
You’ll wake in your thatched cottage to share biscuits on the veranda with the resident ‘go-away-birds’, soaking in the landscape of gently sloping plains and distant mountains.
Cresting the rim of its namesake, Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is a favourite of ours for parents and children alike. The vistas of the crater are visible from everywhere in your suite, surrounding you with the sunlit beauty of one of Africa’s most spectacular landscapes. Children of all ages are welcome here and will love picnics on the crater floor as well as the WILDChild programme.
Set amidst two rolling mountain ranges, the Motse legae and Tarkuni homestead are the ultimate private sanctuaries on the vast Tswalu Kalahari Reserve. Recently redesigned to uncompromising standards of comfort and elegance, Tarkuni is an exceptional choice for families seeking a tranquil, exclusive-use escape.
Seba Camp is the Okavango Delta’s magical outdoor classroom. This is one of the most family-friendly properties in Botswana, with two family suites and specialist guides and activities that are both engaging and fun for children.
A collection of exclusive-use bush villas, Morukuru Family welcomes you with top-notch personal service. The unrivalled range of activities, outstanding personal service, expert guiding and world-class cuisine make this portfolio of villas some of the best malaria-free safari properties in South Africa for families or a group of friends.
Ignite your inner explorer with a stay at Camp Kalahari, where the comfortable canvas tented suites are reminiscent of an African adventure from an earlier era. With a range of activities for all ages and two family suites, this is an excellent camp for discovering the enchantment of the Kalahari with your youngsters.
House in the Wild is an intimate, family-owned luxury lodge that offers a truly private, high-quality safari experience and a genuine home away from home, simply perfect for families or smaller groups.
Kid Friendly Safari Experiences
Botswana is one of the best places for a family holiday of a lifetime! There are millions of animals across plains, deserts and deltas.
South Africa is an excellent choice for family travel with children of all ages. Its wildlife is abundant, with a great diversity of species, including the Big Five: rhino, leopard, lion, elephant and buffalo. There are vast malaria-free reserves and it’s easy to get from safari regions to Cape Town and the beach.
A safari holiday gives your family a wonderful chance to meet local communities and experience their culture.
The Kalahari is a fascinating place for a family safari. The children can sit by a meerkat den watching these curious little creatures foraging and playing as one stands guard on its hind legs looking out for eagles. They can watch enthralled as a San Bushman reveals hidden secrets that have enabled them to survive here for thousands of years.
With all this talk of safaris, remember that historic Zanzibar is part of Tanzania. We can arrange for you to round off your safari at a beach hideaway where you can snorkel, dive and swim with dolphins. Set aside a day to see ancient architecture of the Old Stone Town.
A hot air balloon safari gives you the perfect perspective of the scale of Africa. At dawn your family could be floating silently above thousands of wildebeest and zebra on their great migration. The plains below are criss-crossed by rivers and dotted with rocky kopjes. Drift over herds of elephant, prowling lions and towering giraffes.
The Baber family have lived in the remote mountainous Waterberg since 1865. Ant and Tessa Baber, of the current generation, have set up two superb family orientated safari lodges on their large private reserve. Their chief delight is to take their guests on horseback safaris in search of leopard, rhino, eland and buffalo. Horses are selected to suit your physique and ability. There is nothing that quite matches the thrill of cantering alongside zebra or giraffe!
Gaze in awe as nearly two million animals move across the Serengeti. We make sure the experience is as private as possible. We can even arrange for your family to have your own mobile camp and support team to shadow the great herds. We also use semi-mobile camps and private and luxurious safari villas like Mkombe’s House in the remote north of the park.
Imagine taking a walk in the Kalahari Desert with a San bushman. What seems at first sight a parched area of scrubland becomes a fascinating treasure trove. Your San Bushman will quietly lead your family to secret sources of water and medication. He will show you how the desert offers everything you need to survive, if only you know where and how to look. You will track animals and learn as they share their age-old understanding of this fragile environment. The Kalahari changes spectacularly through the seasons and contrasts magically with the Okavango Delta.
Imagine spending the night together, out in the wilds under a billion stars. In the afternoon, arrive at the private starbeds where cosy beds, bathroom and all you need is on a great wooden deck overlooking the plains. Enjoy dinner with your guide, then drift off to sleep in the beating heart of Africa, nothing but a mosquito net between you and the vast inky sky.
Discover Africa through the eyes of Emmy award-nominee, wildlife cinematographer, Big Cat Diaries cameraman and naturalist guide, Warren Samuels. We can arrange for Warren to guide you for a few days around his secret wildlife hotspots. Tap into his vast knowledge of animal behaviour, perfect your photography skills or simply enjoy the journey while Warren creates incredible imagery of your safari to keep the memories alive for a lifetime.
The school holiday cycle is full of opportunity; there is a safari for every season, whether it’s during the Christmas, Easter or Summer holiday period.
Where to Go on Safari in the School Holidays
The school holiday cycle is full of opportunity; there is a safari holiday for every season, whether it’s during the Christmas, Easter or Summer holiday period. We can tailor make excellent family safaris at these times of year, taking into account seasonal wildlife movements and climatic conditions.The school holiday cycle is full of opportunity; there is a safari holiday for every season, whether it’s during the Christmas, Easter or Summer holiday period. We can tailor make excellent family safaris at these times of year, taking into account seasonal wildlife movements and climatic conditions.
Kenya is an international hub for East Africa so access is straightforward, it also offers excellent weather when it’s freezing in Europe and North America. Combine the wildebeest migration in Serengeti with the stupendous Ngorongoro Crater and maybe round off your holiday on exotic Zanzibar.
The Cape enjoys high summer at Christmas. Spend a few days in lively Cape Town before heading along the Garden Route for a malaria free safari on the magnificent Kwandwe Private Game Reserve. Cape Town also combines easily with Botswana where you can enjoy an exclusive safari in the Okavango Delta.
This is a great time to visit southern Africa. By Easter the sparse summer rains have finished, leaving the deserts of the Namib and Kalahari looking spectacular and momentarily green. Brief migrations of zebra and birds flash across the Makgadikgadi Pans of Botswana and these are also outstanding conditions for game viewing in the Okavango. A short flight can take you to Victoria Falls, where the waterfall is at its magnificent best.
The Cape is clothed in autumn colours and it’s a good time to visit any of South Africa’s malaria free reserves such as Madikwe. April to June are also some of the best months to explore Namibia, as temperatures fall and dry weather encourages huge numbers of animals to gather around the Etosha salt pan.
June to October is prime season for safaris throughout Africa. For a family with active teenagers Zambia provides the holiday of a lifetime as you canoe the Zambezi, white water raft a whole day beneath Victoria Falls and track elephants and plains game on foot through the idyllic Luangwa Valley.
Further north, the wildebeest migration moves from the Serengeti into the Masai Mara in a sequence of chaotic river crossings. We can arrange a small lodge fly-in safari to Kenya’s private reserves so that you can see this magnificent country without encountering the busy tourist areas.
On these reserves you can enjoy horse riding, mountain biking, quad biking and walking with Maasai warriors in addition to traditional game drives.
"Having the trip organised for us by Journeysmiths took so much of the hassle out of the planning. Their knowledge is incredible, and they understood what we wanted. I knew we were going to the best places available, and that all the logistics of moving between properties whilst we were away was seamless.
They made it beyond easy - there were also special touches along the way, a real feeling that everything had been done for us, personally, and that we, and our needs were being thought of every second of every day.
We are a boutique family travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.We are a boutique family travel specialist. For over 30 years we have been creating luxury tailor-made safaris to the timeless savannahs of Africa. Your time is precious and with a world to see, we understand the importance of getting it absolutely right for you, every time.
Generally, South Africa and Kenya would be the first places to consider for a safari with young children. Both countries have superb family safari accommodation and offer services such as babysitting and kids activity programmes. If you have teenagers or young adult children, any destination can work but for particularly active family safaris we would recommend Zambia, Zimbabwe, or southern Tanzania. If your family wants to conclude with a few days on the beach then the Kenyan coast, Zanzibar and Mozambique are ideal.
The best way to start is to have a chat with one of our experienced team.
For destination specific information Travel Health Pro (UK) and the Centre For Disease Control and Prevention (USA) have comprehensive websites which provide the latest vaccination requirements, anti-malarial measures and general health advice for every country. We would suggest booking an appointment with a specialist doctor or clinic to discuss your particular requirements no less than 8 weeks prior to travel.
You can explore some of the possibilities based on your children’s ages below.
Best Safaris With Young Children
Best Safaris With Teenagers
Multigenerational and Extended Family Safaris
The links below will take you to articles featuring some of our favourite family safari activities by destination.
An average price for a tailor made luxury safari of 7-10 days would be in the region of £8,000 per person. If you travel in low season, or reduce the level of luxury this can fall to around £6,000 per person. Equally, if you travel to the finest properties during peak season or include privately chartered flights and private guides this figure would likely increase to £20,000 per person or more.
There is a world of difference between one of our individually designed safaris and most package holidays. Package holidays are usually designed to be as cheap as possible and involve large numbers of people doing the same thing.
Our safaris use small, exclusive and remote camps that offer great flexibility in the best locations and usually virtually everything is included in the price; all accommodation, internal travel, park fees, meals, drinks, game viewing activities, door to door assistance, and 24/7 support while you are on your safari.
Other Factors that Impact the Cost of Your Luxury Safari:
- Who you are travelling with can have an impact on the cost. At most of the safari camps and lodges we work with, children under 12 receive lower rates and the youngest (under 3 years old) often go free, so the cost of your trip will also depend on the age and number of the children in your family.
- Combining your safari with a beach stay or a visit to Cape Town or the Garden Route in South Africa can also have a favourable impact on the cost of your holiday as these would not normally carry the same sort of price tag as the safari section.
- Booking out a whole camp exclusively, adding an exclusive behind the scenes tour with leading conservation experts or an Emmy award nominee cinematographer to document your safari will move the price in the opposite direction.
Whatever your desires might be, our team of experts will recommend the best options based on your interest and budget.
For a tailored quote contact our team here.
From the moment you step off the plane you will be assisted by our partners so you are never left wondering where to go, or how to get there. In addition we are here 24/7 for any questions you have during your trip.
We have over 30 years experience arranging family safaris; we understand which questions to ask and what needs to be considered. We then combine the information you give us about your unique requirements with our knowledge of Africa to create the trip of a lifetime, without the stress. Our long standing relationships also allow us to go further, arranging for special interactions or experiences that wouldn’t normally be possible.
When you contact us, we will begin with a short conversation so that your dedicated travel designer can start to understand the needs of your family and can give advice on destinations or experiences that would be right for you.
Your dedicated travel designer will then create the first draft of your journey to share with you, this can then be finetuned until you are completely happy with everything.
Once you have confirmed your safari with Journeysmiths we will send you all the information you need to prepare for your trip from packing lists, to visa and vaccination information etc. In the background, our operations team will be working away to ensure every element of your itinerary runs perfectly.
Your dedicated travel designer is available to support you as you prepare for your trip, answering any questions you have.
While away, you’ll be met at every step of the way by our partners and we are also only a phone call or message away, 24/7.
You can read more about how we work by clicking the link below, or, get in touch.
Are you celebrating a big birthday, a retirement or special anniversary? Maybe you have a plan to take your whole family, children and grandchildren on a trip that will delight and inspire them. Any reason will do!
Many of Africa’s best safari regions are low to very low risk of malaria, particularly if you travel during the summer holidays.
Over our three decades of creating tailor-made safari itineraries for families, we’ve learned about the kind of experiences which get teenagers excited. We understand that your family has a unique mix of personalities and aspirations, so we will create a unique safari just for you. We use only the finest camps, the best guides and create unforgettable adventures in the wild places of Africa.